Carrollton 5k (Week 18)

On Saturday I ran the Carrollton 5k, which is a local race put on by the city.  It's a nice race that tends to top out around 500 runners, which is good considering we are running on a cement trail that is about twice as wide as a regular sidewalk.  Many of the runners live in the immediate area but there are some folks that come from other nearby cities to run this specific race.

I did alright in the race.  I managed to finish 17th out of 41 runners in the Male 30-39 division.  I finished with an official time of 28:19.90, which is about a 1:15 slower than what I ran last year (26:55.16).  I had a chance to PR had I not gotten a severe leg cramp right around the 3 mile marker.

I heard via a third party (I don't know if the woman was the race director or not) that the race course will be changing next year.  The idea is so that people won't have to park at the high school and then be bused to the start line.  The course will still be on the Carrollton trail network which is nice in that there aren't any significant street closures with how the course is currently designed.  We did cross the street in two places and the Carrollton PD is there to manage traffic but it's nothing like most races where you run on nothing but streets.

After the race I ran back with some other people to pick up their car, so I managed 6.2 miles for the day.  For the most part it was a pretty good day.

I paid for running that 5k pretty hard the next day when I needed to run 10 miles as part of maintaining my marathon training schedule.  My legs felt like jello and that nasty cramp in my left leg was still there.  In fact it was so bad I walked most of the abbreviated route.  I decided to walk rather than trying to run through the pain since I am too close to my race that I didn't want to risk an injury.  I was worried about having the cramp turn into some worse like a pulled muscle.

Week 13 - 16 Miles

I had a really good run today.  I ran with a new pair of Brooks Ghosts and I did not have any trouble with my Achilles tendon, so I think I found what was causing the problem.  Glad I seem to have that behind me but I will stay play it safe in the mean time.  As soon as I post this I'm going to ice my ankle and roll my legs.

I ran my longest distance ever - 15.83 miles.  I also ran my fastest 13.1 at 2:14.  Very good day indeed.  If I could run with that kind of effort next weekend at the Big D Half Marathon I'll PR for sure however the weather isn't looking good (rain).

I really couldn't ask for better conditions for running.  It was a nice, brisk 48 degrees this morning with a relatively light wind.  It's a little cold starting out and so long as the wind isn't blowing too hard, I felt great temperature wise.  It was nice watching the world wake up while I was running through the neighborhoods of Plano.

It's runs like this that makes me think running this marathon in May is doable.  I hurt and am tired but I feel like I can do it.

Fueling

I tried some new fuel sources and they seemed to work out well for me.  Before I left the house, I had a bottle of the chocolate Generation UCAN protein drink.  It didn't give me any stomach issues and I felt like I had good energy throughout my run.  I'm going to go back to my local Luke's Locker and pick up some more packets for future runs.  If this works out I'll get the canister.

I mixed the packet with about 16 oz of water the night before and put it in the fridge so that it would be nice and cold.  I guess I need to do a better job of mixing it right before drinking as it was a little grainy as I finished it off.  I struggle sometimes even eating early, early in the morning so it was nice being able to drink this and not experience a gag reflex.

I also brought several Larabars in my fuel belt that I snacked on while I ran to help keep my energy reserves up.  So far my favorite flavor is Apple.  190 calories with some really good ingredients -- nuts (almonds & walnuts), apples, cinnamon, dates, & raisins.

Week 12 - 14 Miles

Today was both a good and a tough run.  I started, as usual, with tight muscles.  My Achilles tendon started out fine and last through most of the run.  After about 3 miles my muscles loosened up and I was able to get into a more comfortable pace.

It wasn't until after mile 9 that my Achilles tendon really started hurting and I had to start walking.  The last two miles were the hardest as it seemed every leg muscle was exhausted and I just didn't have the will power to try to leg it out.

I suspect my legs were worn out at the end of the almost 14 miles because I have subconsciously modified my form & stride and so I am most likely working my legs harder than if I wasn't injured.

I iced my ankle as soon as I got home and so I hope it helps with the recovery process.  I'll roll my legs and IT Band as soon as I get this entry posted.

I'm still going to my boot camps to continue my cross training but I am modifying some of the exercises if my Achilles tendon starts hurting.  Calf raises actually seem to help reduce the pain so I try to do those whenever possible.  I need to try to do them multiple time throughout the day.

Dealing With an Injury -- Achilles Tendinitis

So it appears I have become injured and have come down with I believe is Achilles Tendinitis.  I have pain, especially when trying to run, in the tendon right above my ankle.  This is your Achilles tendon.  I am able to walk normally and there is really no pain when I am not do anything non-exerting, so it currently it not severe -- yet.

I suspect it occurred due to a combination of overuse and perhaps inadequate support from my shoes.  My current shoes are getting older and I just bought a new pair of Brooks Ghost 6, but I have't had a chance to phase in the new pair and phase out the old pair.

I need to sit down and think about how to approach this.  I need to continue to work on getting my mileage in for my long runs but I might see about limiting the amount of running I do during the week to in order to give my Achilles tendon as much rest between long runs.  I may eliminate almost all running in my cross training (Boot Camp) and substitute some additional leg stretches.

I found this blog about dealing with Achilles Tendinitis, which gives a personal account to one person's dilemma and what he did to overcome the injury and still run his marathon.  I hope this blog provides some decent advice on what to do to treat and continue to train for my upcoming marathon.

Here are some good articles on LiveStrong about dealing with Achilles Tendinitis:

• Achilles Tendon Warmup Exercises
• Can I Run With Achilles Tendonitis?
• A Sore Achilles Tendon After Running

I don't believe this is the end of my hopes to run a marathon right now but it certainly is a hurdle I will have to somehow overcome.  I have had injuries in the past and have overcome them but this one has happened with a short time before my marathon, which is a little more than two months away.  I just don't want this to be the reason I can't complete a marathon.

Most importantly I need to stay positive and not let this get me too far down.  I came out stronger from my last injury and will come out stronger from this injury as well.

Week 11 - 10 Miles

Today I feel like I had a really good run.  Ran with an average 9:44/mile pace and felt strong throughout the run.  It was humid but the temps were in the 50s.  The first three miles were pretty hilly as we were running in the Plano Arbor Hills Nature Preserve.  After that we went out and ran a pretty normal route for the remaining seven miles.

During the run I talked with my trainer how I keep flipping back and fourth mentally on the upcoming marathon where I wonder about what I've gotten myself into and then knowing I can do it.  Of course having a good run this morning only helps me build more confidence in my ability.

I have been eating a granola bar before each of my long runs and it seems to really help with giving me the energy I need for a solid run.  My trainer suggested a product called UCAN, which is an energy solution that you can take before or after a strenuous workout or run.  I am going to see about picking up some of the powder from her before our next run next weekend.  If it works I'll need to drink about 8 to 12 ounces before leaving my house for a run.

Anxious to see what distance we'll be running next week.  Perhaps 15 miles?

Iliotibial Band Issues

I had someone ask about solutions dealing with pain in the IT Band (Iliotibial Band).  This is a ligament that goes from your hip to your knee on the outside of you leg.  There are a number of ways you can aggravate this ligament and it can be quite painful.  There are a number of short term and long term ways you can address this pain.  I'll just go over what I did to help me treat the injury.

What is ITBS (Iliotibial Band Syndrome)?  

It is a pain, sometimes quite severe, in your knee.  You normally feel it on the outside of your knee and in the more minor forms can almost feel like a tightness.  The more severe pain can almost make it impossible to walk and each movement in your knee can be almost unbearable.

Short Term Treatment for ITBS

Two things I did to help treat the pain was get a foam roller and an IT Band Compression Wrap.

The foam roller was purchased at a big box sports store.  Dicks Sporting Goods, Academy, and Sports Authority all should have foam rollers available.  They tend to have these in the same section as Yoga gear.  Your local running store will undoubtedly have these as well given that this is a common injury runners experience.  It is always a good idea to roll your legs after each run and if you have the time, after each workout as it helps prevent injuries and will massage those achy, tired muscles.  I'll see if I can find a decent article or video of some good stretches you can do with a foam roller.

I also got an IT Band Compression Wrap by Pro-Tech.  This is a strap that goes two to three inches above your knee and helps hold the IT Band in place preventing the band from rubbing against the knee.  This allowed me to continue running moderate distances (5 to 7 miles).  I have seen people claim that when suffering from ITBS that when using this product they were able to run full marathons.  Keep in mind to listen to your body and if there is too much pain it is always best to err on the side of caution and stop running/exercising.

Long Term Treatment for ITBS

What ultimately helped me completely eliminate the pain was that I worked at strengthening my hips and legs.  This article does a good job of outlining everything that you should try to do to treat the injury.  Here is another article with a nice video that shows some good exercises you can perform.  It took several months for me to be able to run pain free and without the compression wrap.

I still roll my legs from time to time but now that I am going to logging serious miles every weekend I need to be more consistent on rolling my legs if I am going to try to remain injury free this winter/spring.